Method and system for aggregating and displaying an event stream

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of the present invention provide an aggregated event stream that indicates activities to a user across a range of online services. Embodiments may include a web site, a client application, or mobile device. In particular, a display is provided to a user that indicates various events in a “stacked” format. Each block of the stacked format represents one or more events originating from the user&#39;s own activities or activities of the user&#39;s contacts in their social network. Activities may originate from accounts on other online services that the user linked to their account or profile. The stacked format is updated in substantially real time to provide the user a sense of the activities of their social network around them.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to online services and communications tools and, more particularly, to social networks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In its short history, Internet usage has been mainly driven by portals and search engines, such as Yahoo! and Google. Recently, the rapid growth of social networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, has revealed a new trend of Internet usage. Social networking generally relates to services and tools that help users maintain and expand their circles of friends usually by exploiting existing relationships. Social networking sites have shown potential to become the places on the Internet where many people spend most of their time, thus making these sites the main entry point for online activity. Often times, these social networking sites can become the focal point of sharing information, such as links, multimedia, music, and the like.

In general, social networking sites and other online services of the Internet offer a mix of features and tools, such as message boards, games, journals or web logs (“blogs”). Many of these sites try to build communities around multi-media or popular culture, such as television, film, music, etc. These sites and their features are designed to keep users clicking on advertising-supported pages of the site. Thus, the known social networking sites employ a closed platform of services that attempt to keep their user-base captive to the site.

Unfortunately, it can be difficult for users to maintain their multiplicity of accounts for their social networks. For example, users can have multiple profiles at multiple sites for their music, email, instant messaging, etc. However, most users eventually do not keep up with all of their accounts. For example, many users have four or five e-mail addresses, but essentially may use only one or two of them.

In addition, the Internet is crowded with a large number of social networking sites and sharing tools. For example, the recent supremacy of iTunes has triggered a plethora of music service offerings. As another example, the recent success of YouTube and Google Video has sparked an explosion of video-sharing sites.

Unfortunately, due to their current business model, the known social network sites are vulnerable to spammers and other forms of fraud. Thus, many closed social networking sites will likely become abandoned or a major hassle for users to maintain.

Accordingly, it may also be desirable to provide methods and systems that serve as an open overlay that serves as a consistent context by which users interact with social networking sites and online services.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. In the figures:

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary system that is in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary architecture for an open overlay service that is consistent with the principles of the present invention;

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary architecture for clients that are consistent with the principles of the present invention; and

FIGS. 4-10 illustrate exemplary screen shots of use of the aggregated event stream in accordance with the principles of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention provide an aggregated event stream that indicates activities to a user across a range of online services. Embodiments may include a web site, a client application, or mobile device. In particular, a display is provided to a user that indicates various events in a “stacked” format. Each block of the stacked format represents one or more events originating from the user's own activities or activities of the user's contacts in their social network. Activities may originate from accounts on other online services that the user linked to their account or profile. The stacked format is updated in substantially real time to provide the user a sense of the activities of their social network around them.

Reference will now be made in detail to the exemplary embodiments of the invention, which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.

FIG. 1 illustrates a system 100 that is consistent with the principles of the present invention. As shown, the system 100 may comprise one or more clients 102, a plurality of services 104, an open overlay service 106, and a network 108. In general, system 100 may be implemented on a widely available data network, such as the Internet. For example, system 100 may be implemented as a combination web site and client application that enables users and friends to participate in a live social context. These components will now be generally described.

Client 102 provides a user interface for system 100. Client 102 may be implemented using a variety of devices and software. For example client 102 may be implemented on a personal computer, workstation, or terminal. In addition, client 102 may run under an operating system, such as the LINUX operating system, the Microsoft™ Windows operating system, and the like. Client 102 may also operate through an Internet browser application, such as Firefox by Mozilla, Internet Explorer by Microsoft Corporation, or Netscape Navigator by Netscape Communications Corporation.

One skilled in the art will also recognize that client 102 may be implemented with various peripheral devices, such as a display, one or more speakers, and other suitable devices. Client 102 may also be implemented with various peripherals for accepting input from a user, such as a keyboard, a mouse, and the like. Although FIG. 1 shows a number of clients 102, system 100 may include any number of clients.

Services 104 are the applications and services that users of system 100 already use. Services 104 may be implemented on one or more servers that are well known to those skilled in the art. Rather than recreating functionality, open overlay service 106 merely interfaces services 104 and allows users to seamlessly continue using the services, such as social networking services, instant messaging, etc., that they currently use. Examples of services 104 include iTunes, Yahoo Music Engine, MySpace, Friendster, AOL Instant Messenger, Yahoo! Messenger, etc. Any sort of online service may be incorporated into the context provided by open overlay service 106.

Open overlay service 106 serves as a social network service and stores, manages, and provides access control to the various services and social networks of clients 102. In general, open overlay service 106 is essentially a web site and application service that stores and forwards information shared by users, as well as user profiles and social network information. Open overlay service 106 may be hosted as a public instance, similar in fashion to a service, such as Wikipedia. In addition, open overlay service 106 may provide various application programming interfaces that have an open specification so that anyone can create an interface.

For example, open overlay service 106 may process requests to retrieve an object, document, image file, web page, and the like. Open overlay service 106 may be implemented using a variety of devices and software. For example, open overlay service 106 may be implemented as a web site running on one or more servers that support various application programs and stored procedures.

The components of system 100 may be coupled together via network 108. Network 108 may comprise one or more networks, such as a local area network, the Internet, or other type of wide area network. In addition, network 108 may support a wide variety of known protocols, such as the transport control protocol and Internet protocol (“TCP/IP”) and hypertext transport protocol (“HTTP”).

FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary architecture for open overlay service 106 that is consistent with the principles of the present invention. As shown, open overlay service 106 may comprise an operating system 200, an application server 202, a messaging server 204, a messaging agent 206, a web server 208, and a user database 210. These components may be implemented as software, firmware, or some combination of both, which may be loaded into memory of the machine embodying open overlay service 106. The software components may be written in a variety of programming languages, such as C, C++, Java, etc. These components will now be generally described.

Operating system (OS) 200 is an integrated collection of routines that service the sequencing and processing of programs and applications running in open overlay service 106. OS 200 may provide many services, such as resource allocation, scheduling, input/output control, and data management. OS 200 may be predominantly software, but may also comprise partial or complete hardware implementations and firmware. Well known examples of operating systems that are consistent with the principles of the present invention include the Linux operating system, the UNIX operating system. In addition, OS 200 may operate in conjunction with other software, such as an application server, such as JBoss, to implement various features of open overlay service 106.

Application server 202 provides the logic for analyzing and managing the operations of open overlay service 106. As previously noted, application server 202 may be written in a variety of programming languages, such as C, C++, Java, etc.

For example, one responsibility of application server 202 may be managing the various identities of the users of open overlay service 106. As noted previously, a single person may have multiple identities that they use for various online services and social networks. For example, a person named, John Smith, may use jsmith@domain.com as an identity one service, but use smithj@domain2.com as his identity on another service.

In one embodiment, in order to track the various users of open overlay service 106, application server 202 may assign each user a unique identifier, such as a numeric identifier. Application server 202 may then utilize this unique identifier with the identity resources (i.e., email address, account names, screen names, etc.) used by services 104 to identify a person. In some embodiments, application server 202 generates a graph of each social network within open overlay service 106 in terms of person's names and the identity resources from the point of view of a particular user based on what is trusted by that user.

For example, given information about a person's name, their unique identifier assigned by application server 202, and associations to identity resources trusted by other users, application server 202 can generate a list of person names and identity resources (i.e., email address, account names, etc.) that should be visible to a particular user. Hence, the particular user will only be allowed to see identity resources they happen to (or only) know about that user and identity resources that have been verified by application server 202. For example, a user A may have a unique identifier of 2345, and email address #1 and email address #2 as identity resources. A user B may only know about email address #1 for user A. Meanwhile, a user C may similarly only know about email address #2 for user A. Thus, for user B, application server 202 will only allow user B to view and use email address #1 as an identity resource for user A. Likewise, application server 202 will only allow user C to view and use email address #2 as an identity resource for user A. However, if user A subsequently explicitly indicates to application server 202 that both users B and C can be trusted, then users B and C will then be also allowed to view both email addresses #1 and 2, as well. The primary uses of this information by open overlay service 106 may be for sharing a link with person by addressing that person either by an email address or by a short nickname, or for viewing a list of persons in open overlay service 106 that they think they know.

Application server 202 may also determine what information of a user should be public or private. In some embodiments, application server 202 may default to making information public, but provide an option, such as a checkbox, that allows the user to designate information as private. Application server 202 may also employ per page settings, such as all private or all public. Other privacy policies may be implemented by application server 202.

Application server 202 may further provide various search features. For example, application server 202 may allow users to search for other users based on various criteria, such as age, gender, school, etc. Application server 202 may also allow searches for various resources, such as email addresses, topics, links, etc.

Messaging server 204 manages communications between open overlay service 106 and clients 102 via network 108. For example, messaging server 204 may be configured to periodically poll clients 102 on a regular basis and have them request information from services 104. Messaging server 204 may be implemented based on well-known hardware and software and utilize well-known protocols, such as TCP/IP, hypertext transport protocol, etc.

Messaging server 204 may be configured to handle a wide variety of data and may handle data that is in any format. For example, information from clients 102 may be in the form of an extensible markup language (XML) file or a network location, such as a uniform resource locator (URL) on the Internet. Alternatively, messaging server 204 may be configured to obtain information from services 104 directly in a peer-to-peer fashion.

Messaging agent 206 serves as an interface between open overlay service 106 and online services 104 and may operate to monitor the activity of clients 102 at these services. In particular, messaging agent 206 may be a relatively small and focused computer application (or “bot”) that runs continuously, in the background simultaneously for each of clients 102, as other programs are being run, and responds automatically to activity on services 104 that may be of interest to clients 102, such as new messages, postings, and the like.

Messaging agent 206 may be created by open overlay service 106 (i.e., by application server 202) for the benefit of the users at clients 102. Alternatively, for example, messaging server 204 may send information to clients 102 upon request, perform automated searches, or monitor messages or events at services 104.

In one embodiment, messaging server 204 and/or messaging agent 206 may work in conjunction to perform client-side data scraping on services 104. Client-side data scraping may be desirable in some instances where services 104 refuse or block a direct interface with open overlay service 106. For example, MySpace and AOL's instant messaging service may be implemented as one of services 104, but is known to block proxy requests for a client.

Client-side data scraping may be initiated by messaging server 204 or using information provided by messaging server. Messaging server 204 may poll client overlay client 302 to trigger a request to one of services 104. Accordingly, overlay client 302 may cause one of service applications 306 to interface with service 104 and request data from that service, such as web page refresh. Since the request originated from client 102, service 104 will provide a response. Overlay client 302 may detect this response and forward it to messaging server 204. Messaging server 204 may then pass this response. Of course, the polling may be configured at overlay client 302 based on information provided to messaging server 204.

Messaging server 204 evaluates the response and determines if a notification event is needed. If notification is needed, messaging server 204 send a message to overlay client 302. The notification may then be displayed to the user using, for example, browser 304 or service application 306.

One application of client-side data scraping may be used to detect when messages or postings have been entered on one of services 104. For example, on MySpace, users often repeatedly refresh their pages in anticipation of receiving a post or message from a friend. With client-side data scraping, open overlay service 106 may automatically perform this function, and more conveniently, indicate when the user has received activity on their MySpace page. This notification may appear in the form of a pop-up bubble or may be displayed as a link on the user's page in open overlay service 106. Of course, other applications of client-side data scraping are consistent with the principles of the present invention.

Web server 208 provides a communications interface between open overlay service 106, clients 102, and services 104. For example, web server 208 may be configured to provide information that indicates the status of client 102. Such communications may be based on well known protocols and programming languages, such as HTTP, TCP/IP and Java. Interfaces provided by web server 208 may be implemented using well known Internet technologies, such as web pages, which are well known to those skilled in the art.

User database 210 maintains information identifying users and clients 102. User database 210 may be implemented using well known database technology, such as relational databases, or object oriented databases.

For example, user database 210 may include information indicating one or more operating systems and applications installed on clients 102 as well as services subscribed to by users. User database 210 may also comprise information related to authenticating a user determining the respective rights of a user relative to other users. For example, a user may select various groups or channels of content in which they are interested in receiving information. User database 210 may further include information that indicates the permissions and delivery of the information to clients 102. Other information that may be included in user database 210 may comprise information, such as system and individual permissions of clients 102 on services 104, activation keys, registration information, and payment information (such as credit card information).

Furthermore, user database 210 may include other information related to the manner in which open overlay service 106 communicates with clients 102. For example, this information may relate to periodicity of notifications, email addresses, format of the information, and the like. User database 210 may include data structures to log the activities and transactions of its users. Activities, such as recent links, history of operations, etc., that may be logged in user database 210 are well known to those skilled in the art.

FIG. 3 illustrates an exemplary architecture for clients 102 that are consistent with the principles of the present invention. As noted, clients 102 may be implemented on a conventional device, such as personal computer, laptop, and the like. Such devices are well known to those skilled in the art and may typically include hardware, such as a processor, a memory, a display, a storage device, a keyboard, a mouse, and a network interface for network 108. Such hardware supports the operation of various components software. As shown, the software running on client 102 may comprise an operating system 300, an overlay client 302, a browser 304, one or more service applications 306, and a user data cache 308. Each of these software components will now be generally described.

Operating system (OS) 300 is an integrated collection of routines that service the sequencing and processing of programs and applications running in open overlay service 106. OS 300 may provide many services, such as resource allocation, scheduling, input/output control, and data management. OS 300 may be predominantly software, but may also comprise partial or complete hardware implementations and firmware. Well known examples of operating systems that are consistent with the principles of the present invention include Mac OS by Apple Computer, the Windows family of operating systems by Microsoft Corporation, and the Linux operating system.

Overlay client 302 maintains an inventory of the software and service applications 306 installed on client 102 and archives one or more states of activity on client 102. In some embodiments, overlay client 302 may be configured to periodically connect to open overlay service 106 and perform various operations requested by open overlay service 106.

Browser 304 is an application that runs on client 102 and provides an interface to access information on network 108, such as information on services 104. Browser 304 may be implemented as well known programs, such as Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, and the like.

Service applications 306 run on client 102 to support the services provided by services 104. For example, service applications 306 may be applications, such as a browser, an instant messaging client, a music player (such as iTunes), and the like that are provided from services 104. Other examples for applications 306 are well known to those skilled in the art.

User data cache 308 provides a cache that indicates the activity of a user at client 102. For example, user data cache 308 may include information that indicates documents, such as HTML pages, images, URL links, web site access times, and the like.

In order to illustrate some of the features of open overlay service 106 that provide a live social context, an aggregated event stream feature that indicates activities across a range of online services to a user will now be described. In particular, the aggregated event stream is real-time display provided to a user that indicates various events in a “stacked” format. The event stream may be provided by open overlay client 302, or as a web page itself displayed by browser 304.

Each block of the stacked format represents one or more events originating from the user's own activities or activities of the user's contacts in their social network. Activities may originate from accounts on other online service that the user linked to their profile on open overlay service 106. The stacked format is updated in substantially real time to provide the user a sense of the activities of their social network around them. FIGS. 4-10 provide exemplary screen shots of the aggregated event streams and its uses.

In general, the aggregated event stream aggregates a wide variety of information collected by open overlay service. For example, the aggregated event stream indicate events, such as information originating from an Internet web feed (e.g., a RSS feed), and links to play music on specific sites of network 108, such as iTunes. In addition, events indicated in the aggregated event stream may comprise: events corresponding to songs played by users; events corresponding to videos played by users; events corresponding to Internet content ranked or bookmarked by users; events corresponding to explicit shares of content between users of social networks of open overlay service 106; events corresponding to users joining or leaving groups; events reflecting activity across a diversity of online web sites and services; events representing activity by a particular person or user; events representing activity by friends of a particular person or user; events representing activity associated with a group; or events representing activity by members of a group.

The aggregated event stream may also provide various options and information including: an option to add an entry to a user's “favorites”; an option to provide a quip or comment on the event; information showing recent activity and when the event originally happened; an expand/contract each block; an option to highlight one or more blocks in the stream; an ability to scroll back through history of the blocks; an option to chat or join a chat about an event; information, such as an image or name, of person or group that originated the block; or an icon dynamically retrieved to represent the origin of the block, such as a website or online service or company.

In some embodiments, the blocks in the aggregated event stream may be repeated or ordered based on the popularity of the event in that block. A user may also selectively filter blocks (e.g., “hush”) in the display, either individually, by group, by type, etc. The aggregated event stream may be configured based on the user's on friends in their social network, group membership, and the like.

The aggregated event stream allows open overlay service to show various accounts (e.g., Flickr, YouTube, digg, and delicious) on different systems and then keep a user's social network informed about changes that happen with those disparate accounts.

In order to add an online service to the aggregated event stream, a user simply has to enter the relevant account information. For example, for a Flickr account, the user may enter the email address registered with Flickr and open overlay service 106 looks up the Flickr photos corresponding to that email address. Open overlay service 106 may also display a few thumbnails on the user's profile page, an example of which is shown in FIG. 6.

Another example of the aggregated event stream and its stacked format is shown in FIG. 4. As shown, the aggregated event stream is integrated with the well known “Facebook” service. The event stream provides Facebook notifications to a desktop user.

For example, using the Facebook published application program interface, open overlay service 106 may query Facebook's systems periodically on behalf of the user. When a new Facebook event happens, such as a new wall message or mail message, the stacker will appear to show the user what happened. If the Facebook block is showing an event for the first time, versus opening up the stacker anytime afterwards, the new events may be highlighted in bold to show that they just happened. Of course, variations may be implemented for other online service, such as for “MySpace” and the like.

As shown in FIG. 8, in some embodiments, blocks of the aggregated event stream may include various details and may be updated in a cascading format. Each block provides a thumbnail view of a social network by representing a user on open overlay 106 and their account activity is represented in that block. For example, an icon bar may be displayed and the icons represent various accounts a person uses and the main section details recent activity with those accounts.

In order to provide visual effect, the size of the blocks in the aggregated event stream may be modified to indicate relative activity. For example, a large block may indicate a high amount of recent activity while smaller blocks may indicate decreased activity.

In addition, initial blocks are smaller in size, but can be expanded to get a more complete view of the detail and its activity. Activity, such as views of a link swarming, may cause a block on the stacker to rise to the top. As shown in FIGS. 4-8, there is a “hush” toggle to allow the user to indicate that they wish to ignore the activity. The aggregated event stream will continue to update any activity changes as happen, but it will no longer rise to the top even if there is swarming activity associated with that block.

Also shown in FIGS. 4-8, are bidirectional quips for “love/hate entry” inside the expanded stacker format so that the user may express a quick opinion and see other quips from that user's friends directly in the share of links, etc.

At clients 102, the stacker format may have an adjustable height so it can grow or shrink based on the user's preferences. New blocks are shown on top of the bottom stacker bar and stack up as older blocks fall off. The aggregated event stream may also include blocks for music notifications to that are updated, for example, as friends play new songs.

Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims. 

1. A method of indicating activities of individuals and groups organized in a social network, the method comprising: consolidating a list of events based on activities of a user, and individuals and groups relevant to the user in the social network, wherein the activities originate from accounts on a plurality of other online services and the plurality of other online services are linked to profiles of the user, the individuals and groups, or both the user and the individuals and groups in the social network; and displaying in real-time to the user the list of consolidated events of the user and the individuals and groups, in a stacked format on a third party web page, wherein the list of consolidated events of the user is in a different block of the stacked format than the list of consolidated events of the individuals and groups relevant to the user in the social network, wherein the stacked format is updated in real-time based on new activities originating from the accounts of the user or individuals and groups relevant to the user on the other online services.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display originates from an Internet web feed.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display provides an icon that allows the user to indicate a preference for information in that block.
 4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display provides an icon that allows the user to indicate an opinion about information in that block.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display provides information that indicates when recent activity related to events in that block last occurred.
 6. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display provides information that indicates when the event indicated in the block started.
 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising selectively expanding or contracting blocks in the real-time display based on user input.
 8. The method of claim 1, further comprising highlighting at least one of the blocks in the real-time display based on user input.
 9. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a history about at least one of the blocks in the real-time display based on user input.
 10. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display comprises a link to play music on an Internet site.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display comprises an icon for joining a chat associated with the event in that block.
 12. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display comprises information identifying a source of the event.
 13. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display comprises an icon that identifies a source of the event.
 14. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating or reordering blocks based on a popularity of the event in that block.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display comprises an icon that allows the user to stop further display of that block.
 16. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering blocks from appearing in the real-time display based on the users peers in the social network.
 17. The method of claim 1, further comprising filtering blocks from appearing in the real-time display based on the user's group membership.
 18. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display indicates music played by users.
 19. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display indicates videos played by users.
 20. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display indicates Internet content ranked or bookmarked by users.
 21. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display indicates explicit shares of content between users.
 22. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display indicates users joining or leaving groups.
 23. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of the blocks in the real-time display indicates activity across a plurality of Internet sites and services.
 24. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a real-time display that indicates the activities of the individuals and groups comprises providing a real-time display through an installed client.
 25. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a real-time display that indicates the activities of the individuals and groups comprises providing a web page that is updated in real-time display through a browser running on a client. 